Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1887-04-21

myself some Is feet to board walk,
under which l got my head and lay
there until the storm abated sufficiently
Tor ice TO rise to my feet, when | got up
and locked for my companion whom !
had left in the buss. found that be
had lain in ditch on the other side of
the road, with his grip over his head,
which was all SCARED up with timber,
street lamps. SC, striking it. 1t was
certainly close call for both Of US. The
negro boy who drove the buss we were
in was. l understood, severely injured.
When l got up and saw the buss it was
mashed Hat and turned upside-down and
lying across the horse, which lay as if
he were dead but was afterwards helped
to his feet understood the buss was
wreck. picked up my grip out of
the road and proceeded up town, this
time foot-baek, and such devastation /
never witnessed. was covered with
mud from head to foot, but l did not
mind that, as half the people l saw were
IN the same dix. The storm was accom-
panied with slight rain which made it
worse. As | walked up the main street
Of the town. which was covered with
debris of every description, it seemed
that every large tree on the street was
lying across it. l went up there to sell
some goods, but could not talk goods
after that; so / proceeded to see what
could see, as had only half an hour to
do 1t in.. walked up and down the
principal streets AID everything seemed
torn up side down. The largest church
which was brick, just opposite to where
I lay, was lain almost fat with the
ground: almost every house in town
was damaged some way or other. [
came down on the following train, and
am glad [ was left alive to tell the tale.
and wishing St Clairsville freed from as
much damage as the Good Being would
permit. The sky seemed perfectly clear
ten minutes after the cyclone passed
over"
Mr. J. N. Denoon, OF Chicago, tells the
following thrilling experience with the
storm: "Mr. B. W. Payne and myself
boarded the 1:52 p. M train at Bellaire,
Ohio, bound for st. Clsirsyille, and ar
rived at the Capital City on time. No
ticiug dark. yellow cloud hanging over
the town. and beginning to rain, hurried
to get in the hack to get up to the hotel
before the storm commenced; but did
not get far from the depot before we
noticed a cloud of dust, resembling
smoke, rolling up from the west part of
the town. In very few moments we
soon discovered it to be genuine cy-
clone of the first water, the next thing
to think of was to save our lives. We
leaped from the hack and as we lit on |
the ground the gale of dust and wind |
caught usand threw US upon the ground. |
B. w. Payne managed to crawl under |
the board walk, where he received a
few bumps on the head by the passing |
debris. rhe writer managed by rolling |
to get in the gutter and to save his
head held his companion grip over his
head and escaped no doubt several hard
knocks. The hack and horse was twirl- !
ed around like top, and the driver,
(colored) was seriously hurt and was
found after the storm lying under the
boardwalk. After the most destructive |
part of the cyclone had passed over, l !
managed to get up, and rubbing the
mud, sand, etc, out of my eyes, found
my companion, B. W. Payne, a consider
able distance from me. When reached |
him we congratulated ourselves. and |
felt very thankful that we were still on
the road selling paints and hardware. !
We had not the least idea tha' travel |
ing man could go through cyclone in
such elegant shape.
So the next thing was to view the |
town, which we did in short time. find |
ing il impossible to sell any goods or
even talk goods. We met our customers |
and found them all living. and invited
us TO call in more favorable time, |
which We fully decided to do.
NOTES AND WATTS.
The first response to Mayor Davies
call for help, was check from Henry |
K List. Wheeling.
At least 10000 people visited this
place and neighborhood on Sunday.
There is not citizen in town who
cares To meet old ICY" again. They |
don't banker after that kind of a per-
sonage.
Where were you" and "Did it do you
any damage" could be heard on all sides |
after ICY" left town.
The rain Sunoay night did much dam>
aga to buildings without roofs.
The hrsL time in the history of St. |
Clair; vile that the sound of the me
hammer was heard on Sunday |
" Necessity, thou art the mother of |
invention.
The cellar is not considered as safe
during "a cyclone as some other refuge.
We don't blame Payne, the drummer.
for complaining of the reception he
received, last Friday. But then, you |
know, drummer can go through any
thing.
If there had been dozen book agents
in town that day, and ICY" had took |
them up" they would have sold him d |
book before they came down. You can't |
hurt book agent or drummer, not by
a cyclone!
Judging from the stalk and walk" of
some of the visitors, they must have
been "cycloned" before they got here.
81. N" promised to lift the pressure
in this place several times Of late, and
last Friday was the only time he was
really needed.
Hotels, boarding houses and restaur>
ants did a ,land,oftice business Sunday.
The Mayor made a general request |
which was observed.
The night police thought they struck
a gang of burglars, Sunday night, but it
turned out to be farce,
A portion OF Welday's Hall roof was
lifted across Main street and let down |
in Jas. McMillan's back yard.
The Uniontowu mail carrier and
team, who were on the pike near Pick
ering's, we're turned completely about
Street-lamps are where they generally
are when most Deeded-blown out.
This is no "light" pun.
One of the most deplorable sights we
have beheld In the path of the cyclone, is
the Fair Grounds. At least three dozen
of the large, handsome shade trees that
ornamented the grounds, are uprooted.
and every building of any note, except
dining hall, barn and sheep-house, are
scattered all around. Money and labor
CAP erect residences and repair dama+